


East to West

by fallenandthefaithless (billys_consulting_flatmates)



Series: season 13 codas [8]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Cas's POV, Dean's Worried Not Angry, Episode: s13e12 Various and Sundry Villains, M/M, human!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 01:39:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13583283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/billys_consulting_flatmates/pseuds/fallenandthefaithless
Summary: Cas tried to flinch away but Lucifer had already grabbed hold of him. The sudden rush of icy grace knitted his skin back together and Cas stared up at him.





	East to West

The blade sank into Lucifer’s flesh and Cas held it there, hoping against all hope that maybe, just maybe, it worked. He could hear Lucifer gasping for air, clearly in pain and Cas felt a thrill of relief and twisted pleasure that at least he was suffering. He pushed the blade in a little further and felt Lucifer pull away. Cas caught a brief glimpse of red eyes flickering before Lucifer pulled himself back enough to lift his own arm. Cas’s blade was still embedded in his brothers chest when Lucifer’s blade slashed upward and Cas gasped as pain bloomed in his throat. He could feel his grace pouring out of him and Lucifer quickly drank it up, sliding himself off the rest of Cas’s blade.

Cas stumbled backwards, his hand flying up to his throat where now only blood flowed from the incision. He couldn’t breathe properly and just as he began to panic, as what had happened truly sank in and _this couldn’t be how he died, not after everything that had happened_ , Lucifer moved towards him. His eyes were glowing red once more and he reached out a hand to Cas’s throat. Cas tried to flinch away but Lucifer had already grabbed hold of him. The sudden rush of icy grace knitted his skin back together and Cas stared up at him.

“Now run along and tell those monkeys of yours to back away from my son,” he snarled and before Cas could say anything in return, there was the sound of wings and Lucifer was gone. Cas lurched forward and yelled, his voice cracking only slightly as his recently healed and all too human throat almost strangled his words.

“Lucifer!”

There was no answering voice and Cas could only stare around himself in horror. He glanced back at the doors of what had once been Crowley’s lair before he turned around and headed for the road, keeping close to the trees for shelter.

Human. That’s what Lucifer had made him and now he had to find his way back to the bunker. It all felt a little too familiar, especially with angels and demons out after him to use as a bargaining chip. Hopefully, once at the bunker, things would be better. A chill swept through Cas’s chest leaving him cold as he thought back to the last time he had been human. But no, Dean wouldn’t. Sam was fine, there was no one ordering him around and he had told Cas that the bunker was a shared home, that Cas was like a brother. As much as Cas hated that phrase, he hoped now that at least it would keep him from the streets.

Thankfully this time around he’d also spent time on earth living as a human. Asmodeus had also only seen fit to remove his phone so while he had no way of contacting Dean now, he at least wouldn’t starve right away.

Cas decided to stay away from any towns for a few hours at least to hopefully keep any demons looking for him off his tail. By the time he did approach a town, the sun was beginning to lower in the sky. It was a small town with only one café, a small gas station and a rundown community hall which Cas veered away from. He bought himself a few cheap snacks hoping it would be enough to keep him going, two bottles of water and found to his disappointment that the payphone was out of order. The cashier was incredibly unhelpful and cut him off before he could finish asking to borrow a phone, citing business rules and how the phone was not to be used by customers. The café he noticed on second look was closed for the day and so he found himself with a few more hours on the road. His funds weren’t large – he hadn’t topped his cards up since he’d come back and had forgotten to ask Sam and Dean to top them up.

Three hours later he found himself in Providence just as the sun fell below the city skyline. After a quick meal he found the closest bus station and booked a ticket west. It was only then, curled up against the cool window as the bus rumbled out of the city, that Cas allowed his eyes to fall shut and feel relief that at least he was on his way home.

After two bus changes, another meal with his already low funds dropping to almost empty and another sleep on a bus, Cas found himself waking up as they pulled into Kansas City. His heart lurched as he realised how close he was now.

A quick look at the bus stations clock revealed it to not even be six in the morning. Not even Sam would up yet. If they were at the bunker that was. Fear curdled in his stomach, souring any appetite he may have had.

He forced himself to buy something to eat, knowing it was going to be another long walk until he reached Lebanon. As he paid for his breakfast for the road he caught sight of himself in the window of the small convenience store. Stubble covered his cheeks and his hair was already greasy. His shirt was stained with sweat form walking and dirt from being trapped in Asmodeus’s cell. Blood flecked his shirt collar from where Lucifer had ripped out his grace and Cas turned away and hurried out of the store. It was all beginning to feel a little too surreal, too close to the past.

The kindness of strangers took him by surprise once more when several hours later two young women pulled up next to him and offered him a lift. Wary as he was at first his aching feet forced him to accept their offer and he soon found himself flying along the highway as the two women chatted about their trip to visit a grandmother and what they were planning on doing post college.

Two hours passed in this fashion before they dropped him off, apologetic that they could not drive him the whole way.

“Thank you,” he repeated to them and Chelsea, the younger one training to be a vet laughed.

“No problem. Just get your friends to cook a decent meal. Our orders,” she said and he smiled, nerves bubbling away unpleasantly in his stomach.

He watched them drive away until the car was out of sight and then he turned north. His feet quickly began to complain again and Cas gritted his teeth. Between the various aches and pains from sleeping on the bus and walking and the growing nerves at his reception he found his steps slowing.

He’d run out of food and was too low on money to risk it. Thinking back, Cas couldn’t help but wonder if he should have watched his money better, just in case.

As it was, the bunker’s door came into view not long after night had fallen. It was hard to believe that 48 hours earlier Cas had been locked in a cell, his grace in tact and wondering about Dean, Sam and Jack. Only one of those things was currently applicable.

The Impala was nowhere to be seen but that meant very little as Dean favoured the garage more and more and Cas could only hope that they were in the Bunker and not out on a hunt.

He slowly made his way down the stairs until he found himself face to face with the front door. He hesitated for a moment before he knocked loudly. He no longer had his own key. Between returning from the Empty and Jack vanishing it had slipped all of their minds.

It was silent for a long moment and just as Cas began to give up he heard a sudden clank and then the door was opening before him.

“Cas?”

His shoulders relaxed as that familiar voice washed over him and Cas meet Dean’s gaze with a slight smile.

“Hello Dean,” he replied, his voice breaking slightly due to his dry throat. It only reminded him of how tired he was.

“What – where the hell-” Dean spoke in broken sentences but even so Cas could hear the anger and hurt beneath his bewilderment.

“Asmodeus,” he said, hoping that would be enough for Dean to listen and not slam the door shut. As he watched, Dean’s face slackened and he stared at Cas.

“What?”

“Asmodeus caught me. I’ve been locked up in Fall River for weeks,” he explained and watched as something like horror crept into Dean’s expression.

“You what?” his voice was weak with shock and he suddenly pushed the door open wider and reached out to grab Cas’s arm and tug him inside. Relief washed over Cas even though he knew there was still too much to explain. The dried blood on the base of his throat was an uncomfortable reminder.

“How long?” Dean asked roughly as he pulled Cas down the stairs into the war room.

“A few weeks. After I left here to find Jack – I was only gone for a day and they caught up to me.”

“The bar,” Dean said, his voice tight and his hand clenching around Cas’s arm.

“Yes,” he said. “There’s more, unfortunately.”

“What do you mean?” Dean had finally loosened his grip though he seemed reluctant to completely let go and Cas couldn’t stop the warmth that filled his chest. Dean turned around to face him and Cas saw the moment Dean noticed the blood on Cas.

“Are you alright?” he asked and Cas noticed Sam enter into the room, his face lighting up when he saw Cas.

“I’m-” He couldn’t bring himself to say fine, not when there was chance, no matter how slim of that door opening back up and closing with him on the wrong side. “It’s Lucifer.”

Sam froze where he stood, next to the war table and Dean glanced between the two of them, fear tightening his lips.

“What about him?” Sam’s voice was faint and regret lanced through Cas at having to be the one to tell him.

“He’s back. He came back through into our world. Michael – that worlds Michael – ripped out a chunk of his grace to power a doorway which Lucifer used to get through. He’s weak – was anyway – and Asmodeus captured both of us. He managed to break the warding on the cells and we both escaped but then he – he got away.” Cas’s voice faltered slightly but Dean’s eyes narrowed and despite the concerned glance he threw in Sam’s direction he turned back to Cas, his voice stronger than before.

“What do you mean he _was_ weak? What happened?”

Cas glanced away, looking in the general vicinity of Dean’s feet instead of his face before he spoke.

“He took my grace.”

There was silence for a moment and Cas could hear his heart pounding in his ears. A movement caught his attention and he looked up to see Dean moving a little closer, his face creased with worry.

“He took your grace?” his eyes glanced down at the blood on Cas’s collar once more before he looked back up. “Does that mean…”

“I’m human,” Cas said, his voice louder than he’d meant. There was silence again and he saw Sam sit down heavily at the table.

“Are you alright?” Dean’s voice was quiet and when Cas looked back at him he saw how much more open Dean’s face was than he’d been expecting. It was with a painful lurch that he realised just how much time had passed since he’d last been human.

“I… I think so,” he said, his voice a little hesitant but he relaxed when Dean smiled slightly at him.

“Alright,” he said. “We’ll set you up first – I’m sure you’ll want a shower if you’ve travelled from Fall River. Then dinner,” he said with a smile and Cas couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. Despite all the aches in his body and the exhaustion fogging his mind he could feel himself relaxing when Dean smiled at him and laid out a basic plan.

He glanced over at Sam, noting the tightness in his face and once more regretting that he’d had to bring this information to him but when Sam caught his gaze his face softened slightly and he smiled before he got to his feet.

“I’ll go look for something in the kitchen. You can help Cas get set up,” he said before fleeing to the kitchen. Dean watched him with worry before he turned back to Cas and smiled once more.

“C’mon, let’s go set up your room,” he said before he reached down and grabbed Cas’s arm again and gently led him down the corridor where his own room was. Cas glanced down at where Dean’s fingers were curled into the fabric of his sleeve and slowly felt his fear melt away. He had finally made it home.

**Author's Note:**

> So there's the deancas coda fic as promised. I'll admit it wasn't as explicit as I'd originally planned - in fact this veered pretty far away from what I intended but I was inspired after reading [ @tinkdw's](https://tinkdw.tumblr.com/) [speculation post](https://tinkdw.tumblr.com/post/170416541277/im-worried-about-cas-again-lucifer-knicked-cas) concerning 13x13's promo pics.
> 
> I'm over on [tumblr](http://fallenandthefaithless.tumblr.com/). Come say hi :)


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